Encocado de Pescado (Fish in Coconut Sauce) is a popular Ecuadorian dish where fish meets creamy coconut sauce and bold spices! This coastal recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner or Sunday lunch.
What is encocado de pescado?
Encocado de Pescado is a traditional Ecuadorian dish from the province of Esmeraldas, on the coast. It features white fish cooked in a creamy coconut sauce with onions, peppers, and spices. It's a beloved staple of Ecuador's coastal cuisine that showcases the region's abundant seafood!
If you have never had pescado encocado, you are in for a real treat. It is called "encocado" because it is make with coconut milk. Here in Ecuador, people generally make their own coconut milk by blending the flesh of a coconut with a bit of water and straining it. But I prefer to just buy canned coconut milk, for ease!
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Ingredients
You just need a handful of ingredients to make this encocado de pescado recipe. Here's what you'll need:
- Oil: For encocado de pescado, we generally start with achiote oil. This is just achiote oil that is infused with a red color from achiote. If you don't have achiote oil, you can find achiote powder online and mix it with regular oil in the pan, or just use olive oil or your regular cooking oil!
- Onion: Finely diced white onion or red onion adds a depth of flavor.
- Bell Peppers: You can use whatever color of bell pepper that you prefer. I used red, but you can use yellow, orange, or even green.
- Garlic: For a depth of savory flavor!
- Spices: You just need cumin, paprika, salt and pepper here.
- Chicken Bouillon Powder: Might seem weird, but we are adding a little bit to balance out the sweetness of the coconut milk. If you prefer, you can just add a bit more salt or swap it with a veggie bouillon powder!
- Canned Coconut Milk: Full fat canned coconut milk is essential. I have also used coconut cream and it works well.
- Mahi Mahi: I like to use a hearty white fish like mahi mahi (called dorado in Spanish). You can opt for any white fish, though. Slice it into 1-2 inch chunks for easy cooking and serving.
- Lime: For just a hint of tang!
- Fresh Cilantro: I like to add a sprig to my coconut sauce as it simmers, as well as garnish the final encocado.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Fish with Coconut Sauce
- Cook the Aromatics: Heat the achiote oil (or regular cooking oil) in a large skillet or large pot on medium heat. Add the diced onion, bell pepper and garlic to the pan. Sauté until soft and fragrant.
- Add Spices: Season with cumin, paprika, chicken bouillon powder, and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Make the Sauce: Add the can of coconut milk to the skillet. Stir well and allow the sauce to come to a simmer. Add lime juice. Taste it before adding the fish to see if the sauce is to your liking. If too tangy from the lime, add more salt. If too salty, add more lime.
- Add Fish: Once simmering, add the fish pieces to the sauce. Allow the fish to simmer in the sauce until opaque and flaky, about 7-10 minutes. The exact time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.
- Garnish & Serve: Serve the encocado de pescado with freshly chopped cilantro on top, along with rice and fried plantains or plantain chips and enjoy!
Hint: It is important not to overcook the fish! Make sure the sauce is exactly how you want it before adding the fish in, since we don't want the fish to simmer for too long in the sauce before serving.
Tips for Success
- Don't leave the fish in too long as it will continue cooking in the hot sauce even after removing it from heat. Aim for just-done fish that remains tender and moist.
- Use quality coconut milk! Full-fat coconut milk creates the richest flavor and creamiest texture in your sauce. Shake the can well before opening to ensure the cream and water are properly mixed, or whisk well once added to the skillet.
- Fresh lime juice provides brightness that bottled versions simply can't match. Always squeeze right before adding to preserve the vibrant citrus notes. You can also use orange juice for a sweeter flavor if desired!
- The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon before adding the fish. If it's too thin, simmer a few minutes longer to reduce and concentrate the flavors.
Recipe Variations
- Fish Options: Ecuadorian pescado encocado can be made with a variety of different fish. Try with cod, halibut, sea bass, or snapper. Tilapia works well too, or even tuna steaks!
- Seafood Mix: Create an “encocado mixto” by adding shrimp!
- Coconut Milk: Be sure to use full fat coconut milk. It can be labeled as coconut milk or coconut cream, they will both work well.
- Fresh Coconuts: Traditionally, encocado is made with fresh coconuts. To do this, you have to remove the white coconut flesh from the peel, cut it into smaller pieces, and blend it with some water. Then, strain the coconut pulp over a cheese cloth and use that liquid as the coconut milk!
- Whole Fish: If you prefer, you can keep the fish fillets whole! The cooking time will just take a little bit longer.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat to prevent the fish from becoming tough.
- The sauce may separate when cold – simply stir while reheating.
- Not recommended for freezing as the texture of the fish and sauce can deteriorate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coconut cream has a higher fat content, making the sauce richer and thicker. Both work well, but you may need to simmer longer if using milk.
Traditionally, encocado de pescado is served with white rice and patacones (fried green plantains). You can also serve it with fried ripe plantains! Don't forget a limonada de coco, too, to wash it all down!
It is best to use fresh fish, or thaw your fish in the refrigerator before using it in encocado de pescado. If you add it frozen, it might end of tough instead of tender!
More Recipes to Try
Easy Encocado de Pescado Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon achiote oil or regular oil if you don't have achiote
- 1 small white onion finely diced, use ½ onion if it is large
- 1 small bell pepper finely diced, whatever color you prefer, generally red, yellow and orange are a bit sweeter than green. Use ½ bell pepper if particularly large.
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder or veggie powder
- ½ teaspoon salt add more to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 15 oz can of full fat coconut milk or coconut cream, both work well.
- 1 pound mahi mahi fish or other white fish, cut into 1-2 inch chunks.
- ½ lime juiced
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the achiote oil (or regular cooking oil) in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the diced onion, bell pepper and garlic to the pan. Sauté until soft and fragrant.1 tablespoon achiote oil, 1 small white onion, 1 small bell pepper, 3 garlic cloves
- Season with cumin, paprika, chicken bouillon powder, and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the can of coconut milk to the skillet. Stir well and allow the sauce to come to a simmer. Add lime juice. Taste it before adding the fish to see if the sauce is to your liking. If too tangy from the lime, add more salt. If too salty, add more lime.1 15 oz can of full fat coconut milk, ½ lime
- Once simmering, add the chunks of fish. Allow the fish to simmer in the sauce until opaque and flaky, about 7-10 minutes.1 pound mahi mahi fish
- Serve the encocado de pescado with freshly chopped cilantro on top, along with rice and fried plantains and enjoy!cilantro
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat to prevent the fish from becoming tough.
- The sauce may separate when cold – simply stir while reheating.
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